Just Another Day
by Fallen Ark Angel
Summary: Series of one-shots dealing with Lance and his girlfriend, Kitty's, daughter.
1. Chapter 1

Just Another Day

Kimmy stared at her mother's boyfriend. He looked like he was sleeping. She poked him.

"Leave me alone, Kitty."

She giggled. "Not Mommy."

Lance groaned. "Where is Mommy?"

"Left. Work."

Opening his eyes slowly, Lance stared at the girl. "So it's just you and me?"

"And Corn," she said, holding up her stuffed cat. Lance wasn't sure why the thing was named Corn, but he had grown accustom to it and no longer asked questions.

"Of course Corn," Lance said, laying his head back down.

Climbing up into the bed with him, Kimmy asked, "Breakfast?"

"Soon," he mumbled. He had just gotten off work three hours ago and was tired. "Your mom just left?"

"Yep," she said, laying her head down next to his. "See Daddy today?"

He sighed. Kimmy always asked him that, everyday. Her father had left her when she was two and her memory of him wasn't really there, but she still felt the need to ask apparently.

"No," Lance said. The room shook slightly, but he shifted his thoughts to something else.

"Lance mad," Kimmy observed. "Ground shake!"

"Shhh," he said, closing his eyes again. "Hey, Kim? Wanna go get me a drink from the kitchen?"

Kim shook her head. "No."

Groaning, Lance got out of bed. "Well, come on then. I'll go with you."

"Breakfast?" Kimmy asked, following him.

"Yep," Lance said, going to the fridge.

"Eggs?"

Lance looked around the nearly empty fridge. He and Kitty weren't homeless by any account, but they weren't rolling in money either. There were no eggs. "How about left over pizza?"

"Yeah!"

"Alright," Lance said. When he and Kitty had first gotten back together, he was skeptical about his ability to take care of a child. Now though, nearly a year and a half later, it was hard for him to imagine life without her.

"Gonna get dressed?" She asked him as he put the pizza in the microwave.

"What?"

"No clothes."

"I'm wearing clothes, Kimmy."

"Not shirt."

"I'm wearing an undershirt and jeans because it's hot. What else do you want me to wear?"

"Shirt," the four year old said, crossing her arms. "I wear shirt."

"That's because you're a girl."

Kimmy frowned. "No!"

"What?" He picked her up with one arm. "You don't think you're a girl?"

"No," she said. "You girl."

"I'm a girl?" Lance smiled at her. "Hardly."

Kimmy giggled, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Gonna watch Barney?"

Lance held in a sigh. How he hated that purple monstrosity. If he turned on the news and found out that the creator of Barney had died, he would jump for joy, something he rarely did on any occasion.

"Sure," Lance said as the microwave dinged. He took out the plate with pizza on it before walking into the living room. The apartment was small, but he had lived in a lot smaller places.

Lance sat Kimmy down on the couch before sitting next to her. Kimmy frowned. "One plate?"

"If I got you a plate, then I'd have to wash two plates. It's a lot easier to just share a plate."

Kimmy considered this before grabbing a piece of pizza. "No shirt?"

Lance groaned, handing her the plate. "Fine, I'll go put on a shirt. Be right back. Don't move, alright?"

Kimmy nodded, eating her food. Lance went back into his bedroom and changed clothes. Sighing, he realized that he needed to do laundry. He almost thought about making Kitty do it, but then that would start a fight, and he'd have to sleep on the couch. That was not how he planned to spend the next few nights.

"Don't put Corn in the food," Lance yelled, walking back into the room.

Kimmy looked up. "Corn eats too!"

She had taken Corn and put the toy's face into the pizza. Lance shook his head, going to sit back down. "Corn is dirty, Kimmy."

"No!" She crossed her arms. "No dirty. You're dirty."

God, sometimes… "Today we're doing laundry."

"Clean clothes?"

"Yep," he said, taking the plate back from her.

"See Pete?"

As Lance was not allowed to use the apartment buildings washer and dryers (You break a few washers one time and you're suddenly a bad person), he now went over to Pietro's house and used his. Kimmy was not able to say Pietro and just called him Pete instead.

"Yep," Lance said, turning on the TV. "Look, Barney's off."

Kimmy frowned as he put it on the news. To get back at him, she licked all the pieces of pizza.

"Kim," he complained, frowning. Then he looked at the TV.

In more recent years, the mutant hate had died down, but it was not dead completely. Though he was no longer an active member of S.H.I.E.L.D., he still felt a strong need to help. If it wasn't for Kitty and Kimmy, he'd probably still be out there, doing what he could.

At the moment, the station was covering the massacre mutants at an all mutant apartment building. Lance changed the channel before Kimmy could notice what was going on.

"Go now?" Kimmy asked him. "Go see Pete?"

He looked down at the spit covered pizza. "Sure."

* * *

><p>Pietro shook his head, watching Kimmy play with his dogs. "I don't know, Lance. I think you should get a dog."<p>

"Yeah, that's all I need," Lance said. He was in a bad mood. On the way to Pietro's house, he got cut off by another car, which always pissed him off.

"Where's Kitty?"

"Work," Lance said, putting clothes in the washer. Kimmy, who was in the other room with the dogs, looked up.

"Mommy?"

"She's at work, you know that," Lance said to the girl, not turning around. "Play with the dogs and be happy."

Pietro shook his head, walking out of the wash room, and into the living room with Kimmy. "Hey, Kim."

"Hi," she said, still looking down at the dogs. One was a lab and the other was a German Shepard. "Broughted my pet."

He frowned. "You've got a pet?"

She nodded, holding up her dragon doll. "Lockheed!"

Lance turned his head. "Kimmy, did you take that out of your mom's stuff?"

"No," Kimmy said, in her normal lying tone. She didn't realize that she had a lying tone, of course. She thought that she was an awesome liar. "It's mine. My Lockheed!"

"You're mom's going to kill you," Lance mumbled, closing the washer.

"Why does your girlfriend have a stuffed dragon anyways?" Pietro asked.

"I don't know," he said, walking into the room. "Just don't get it dirty, Kim."

She nodded, holding the toy close to her chest. "Okay!"

"Where's Corn anyways?"

"Home. Watch home."

"Oh, he's our guard?" Lance asked, amused slightly. "From what?"

"Sentinels."

Lance and Pietro both looked down at her. Lance was the first to speak. "What are you talking about? You don't know anything about those."

"Yes! See 'em."

"When?" Pietro asked. A few years ago, the S.H.I.E.L.D. and the X-men had almost killed Nimrod and hadn't seen from him since. That was two years before Kim was even born. Right after that, Kitty and Lance had broken up and she started dating Kim's father.

"On computer," Kim explained. "Seen 'em with Scott."

Lance sighed, shaking his head. "Kitty had taken her to the X Mansion a few days ago."

Kim nodded. "See Scott, Gamble and Rawr-g."

"What's a Rawr-g?" Pietro asked Lance. "And who's Gamble?"

"Rogue," he said. "Gambit."

Kim nodded again. "And Jean and Wolfsbane. Oh, and Storm. Beast too. Rawr-g nice. Gamble scary. Sound funny too."

Pietro shook his head. "Hey, Lance, ever think about getting back with S.H.I.E.L.D? Could really use your help right about now, you know. Did you hear about-"

"I don't want to talk about that right now," Lance said, sitting down next to Kim. "Hey, Kimmy, you know what?"

"What?"

"Where's going to sleep when we get home."

"No. Too big for naps," the four year old complained.

"Well, I'm not," Lance said, yawning. Pietro shook his head.

"Never mind, Lance."

"About what?"

"Coming back to S.H.I.E.L.D. We don't need you."

* * *

><p>Lance was sleeping again, just like he had wanted the whole day. Kim was next to him, not sleeping.<p>

"Lance?"

"I'm sleeping, Kim."

She groaned, cuddling against him. "I'm cold."

He pulled the blanket up around the more. "Better?"

"No."

Sighing, he reached out and pulled her to him. "Now better?"

"No."

"Kim, what do you want me to do?"

"Watch TV."

"How would that help your coldness?"

She shrugged. "Lance?"

"What?"

"I love you," Kim said, giggling.

"Yeah, I know."

She yawned, closing her eyes again. "Nap?"

"Oh, now that you've woken me up you want to sleep? Is that it?"

"Yes," she said. "Night-night."

Lance sighed as she fell asleep. Try as he might, he couldn't fall back asleep. Leave it to Kim to keep him awake even while she was asleep.

"Hey."

He looked up. "Hey, Kitty Cat."

She walked into the room, sighing. "How was Kim today?"

"She woke me up after you left, licked all of the pizza, and wouldn't let me sleep."

Kitty gave him a funny look. "Doesn't seem like she's keeping you from sleep now."

He sighed, looking down at the girl in his arms. "Yeah, but now I'm not tired."

Kitty shook her head. "So today was a good day?"

"Yep," he said, smiling at her. "Did the laundry too."

"Good. Any accidents?"

"Huh?"

"You know what I mean. Did you…get angry today?"

"No," he said.

"No earthquakes?"

He smiled. "Just a little tremor."

"Why?" She asked, getting into bed with them. It was a small bed and it was a tight fit, but it was comfortable, being so close to each other.

"She was just asking about…him again."

"She just does that out of habit."

"I know," Lance said.

"She thinks of you as her dad, you know."

"Yep," he said, holding the little girl close to him.

"Oh, and Lance?"

"What?"

"What was Lockheed doing in the living room?"

He knew he forgot something.


	2. Chapter 2

**Sat down to write today and I ended up with this. Sigh…oh well. I guess I kind of do like Lance and Kim. **

Bubble Gum

"Please?"

Silence.

"Please, Lance? I love you."

Still nothing.

"Lance, please?" She reached up and grabbed his bigger hand in her own. "Please?"

He groaned, looking down at her. "Your mom said that you're not allowed to have any. Remember last time? You got gum everywhere."

Kim frowned. "No."

"Kim, I was there."

"Please, Lance? Pretty please?"

The man shook his head. He takes her to the gas station with him once and she annoys the crap out of him.

"Fine," he said as the line moved foreword. "One pack of gum, Kimmy. You chose."

With careful thought and precision, she picked out a shiny red pack.

"Kimmy, that gums hot," Lance told her.

"No, it's red."

"Kim."

She shook her head as the last person in front of them left. Setting the thing of gum on the counter, she said, "I like red, Lance. Not pink, 'member? You said pink's a girl color."

"You are a girl," Lance said, setting the two drinks next to her gum.

"No! You're a girl."

He rolled his eyes, pulling out his billfold. After they paid and were back in his jeep, Kim said, "I want my gum."

He sighed, reaching back to hand her the gum and drink. "Don't spill the drink, Kimberly."

"I won't," she said, offended. "How do you open gum?"

He sighed, pulling out onto the road. "I'll open it for you at home, okay?"

"No," she whined.

Lance decided just to ignore her, so he turned up the radio. When they finally got home, she was all worked up because he wouldn't listen.

"I hate you, Lance! Just open my gum!" She was stomping her feet and everything. If her mother was home, she would have already been reprimanded and gum less. Lance was more sympathetic though. He remembered being a little kid and not getting his way…though there normally was a tremor soon to follow.

"Alright, alright," he said, taking it from her. "There. Take a piece."

She did so happily, her tears and screams magically gone. Lance rolled his eyes.

"Thank you," she said, putting the thing in her mouth. Then the tears were back.

"What's wrong?" He asked as she grabbed his hand. She forced it open and spit her gum into it, still whining.

"It's hot!"

Lance groaned, looking at his spit covered hand with a chewed up piece of gum in it. "I already told you it would be!"

"No," she sniffled. "Hold me."

Lance shook his head, going into the kitchen. He threw away the gum before washing his hands.

"Up!" She complained, going over to him. "I'm hurt."

Lance sighed, turning off the water and lifting her into his arms. "There, better?"

She nodded, laying her head on her shoulder. "Love you, Lance."

He smiled. "You do?"

"Yep," she said, grinning back at him. "Wanna go buy me more gum?"

Sighing, he sat her back down. "Not really, no."

"Please, Lance?" She looked up at him with angelic eyes. "Oh please? I'll love you forever and ever. You'll be the best Lance I ever got."

"Had," he corrected. Then he shook his head. God, he was turning into Kitty. "Kim, no. I don't want to go back out."

"I hate Lance!" She yelled, running over to her stuffed toys. "We all hate Lance. Lance is mean and we want him to leave. We don't want you anymore!"

Lance stared at her, frowning. "Stop yelling. You're going to make me mad."

"Good!"

Taking a few deep breaths, he said, "Fine. Let's go get your damn gum."

"No curse," she scolded, walking back over to him. "Ready go?"

He shook his head. "So are you done telling me how much you hate me?"

"If I gets my gum, yes."

Lance picked her up. "Well, come on then."

* * *

><p>Kitty was not happy when she got home and found pieces of gum everywhere. Lance was just glad that none got in Kim's hair, because then she really would be yelling at him.<p>

"I just don't know why you can't say no," she continued to complain. "God, I can never just leave the two of you alone together."

Lance frowned. "You want me to get the gum out of that?"

At the moment, his girlfriend was scrubbing a couch pillow, trying to get the gum out. "God, like, how many pieces did you give her, Lance?"

"Not that many," he said, turning his attention back to the TV. "You off tomorrow?"

"Yeah," Kitty said, frowning as the gum seemed to fuse with the pillow, refusing to be removed. "You?"

"Nope," he said, changing the channel. "You guys are on your own for lunch and dinner."

"I'm going to need money," Kitty said.

He frowned. "What happened to the forty I gave you?"

"That was a week ago, Lance! God. Besides, don't you, like, have at least a twenty or something?"

"No," he said, not turning to look in her eyes no matter how hard she tried to lock her blue ones with his brown ones.

"What happened to your money?" She asked, continuing to look at him regardless of his refusal to meet her eyes.

"What happened to yours?" He countered.

"Gee, Lance, I went shopping, I-"

"For what?"

"Groceries, you jerk."

He frowned. "What else?"

"I put gas in my car," she said. "That's all."

"You didn't buy anything for yourself?" He asked in an accusatory tone.

"No, not that I don't deserve something, but I didn't have the money for it."

His argument was wavering. "Well…I had things to buy to, Kitty."

"What?"

"Uh…well first we went the gas station, right? I got a little gas and got me and Kim each a coke."

"What? Lance, we have cokes at home."

"Yeah, but it's not the same, Kitten!"

She shook her head. "What else did you buy, Lance?"

He leaned back in the chair. "Well, first I bought a pack of gum."

"Which is the gum all over my couch?"

"No," he said slowly, finally looking at her. "That one was cinnamon. It was too spicy."

She just stared at him. "Continue."

"She said that she hated me, Kitty."

Kitty groaned. "We've gone over this before. She's just doing it to get her way."

"Yeah, I know," Lance said, shrugging a little. "Still, Kitty, you don't get it. I don't want her to hate me."

Rolling her eyes, she told him to keep going.

"Right, so I bought her another pack of gum."

"What? Lance-"

"But once we got to the car and she tried it, she decided she didn't like it."

She frowned. "How many packs did you buy?"

He mumbled something.

"What?" She asked. "I couldn't hear-"

"I said fifteen dollars worth."

His girlfriend gapped at him. "What?"

"She kept saying that she'd love me forever and ever if I did it," Lance said, not believing the words coming out of her mouth. God, if that got back to any of his friends, he'd be dead. "I just want to keep her happy, Kitty."

"She's four, Lance. You don't give into every little thing she asks for."

"Maybe you don't, but I do," he said, sighing. "I just want her to think that I'm a good step dad."

"She doesn't think that you're a good step dad," Kitty said, finally setting the pillow down. "She thinks that you're a good dad period. Just stop spending all our money on her, Lance. We're not rich. What happens at the end of the month and we can't buy dinner? Or can't pay rent? Think some, Lance."

"I think plenty," he said, insulted that she would think other wise. "I just love her."

"You what her?"

"Love her," Lance said, breathing heavy.

Kitty smiled, leaning over to kiss him. "You love her?"

"Yes, Kitty, I do," he said, frowning at her. "Don't act so shocked."

"I'm not," she said, laying her head on his shoulder. "It just feels good to hear you say it."

"I love you too," he added, feeling like he needed to.

"I know," Kitty sighed. "So you're broke?"

"I'll go withdraw some money tomorrow," Lance offered.

"No, I will," she said. "You've got work, right? I need money."

"For what, Kitty?"

"Have you looked in the fridge recently?"

He shook his head. "So, I guess gums off the shopping list?"

She rolled her eyes. "Shut up, Lance."


	3. Chapter 3

Nightmare

Lance had his girlfriend pulled to him, holding her tightly. Kim ran into the room, forcing her way between the couple.

"What, Kim?" Kitty groaned, waking up.

"Scared," she said, cuddling against her mother. "Hide."

"Lance, wake up," Kitty sighed.

"I'm tired," he complained, putting his back to them.

Kim sniffled. "Lance?"

"What?"

"Scared."

He opened his eyes slowly, sighing before rolling around to face the girl. "Of what, Kimmy?"

She looked around; making sure it was just the three of them. "Monsters."

"Monsters?" Kitty smiled down at her daughter. "There's no such thing as monsters, baby."

"Yes!" She looked at Lance. "Right?"

"Right."

"Lance-" Kitty started, but Lance cut her off.

"Not bad monsters though," he said, looking down at the four year old. "See, Kim, monsters are only scary, because you don't know them. They're scared of you too, after all. Next time you see one, ask him his name."

"And it'll all be better?" Kim asked, staring at him.

Lance leaned down at kissed her head. "Of course."

Smiling, Kitty asked, "So are you going to go get back in your own bed?"

Kim looked up at Lance. "Lance?"

"Let her stay, Kitten," he said, smiling at his girlfriend.

"No shirt?" Kimmy looked up at him.

"You know that I don't wear a shirt to bed," Lance said. "Why do you always bring it up?"

She giggled, reaching gout to touch his arm. "Weak."

"Weak? Weak?" Lance flexed for the girl. "You must be blind, Kim."

The little girl giggled, still looking at him. "No."

"If you're going to stay in here, sleep," Kitty said, running a hand down her daughter's stomach. "We're tired."

Kimberly frowned. "Cold, Lance. Cuddle?"

He pulled her to him so that her face was buried in his chest. She giggled, cuddling into him.

"Night," he whispered in her ear.

"Night," she said back, giggling.

Kitty rolled her eyes, staring at her boyfriend. Ten minutes later, Kim was out. As gently as he could, Lance moved her closer to her mother, laying her head on a pillow.

"You're so sweet," Kitty said as he adjusted the covers around them.

"Sweet is not a word I would use to describe myself, Kat."

"No, maybe not," she said, smoothing down Kimmy's hair. "That's just because you want everyone to think that you're tough, though."

"I am tough. Do I need to flex again?" He asked, wagging his eyebrows.

"Please, don't. I don't feel like puking."

He shook his head. "You know-"

"You no sleeping," Kimmy said, opening her eyes again. "Liars."

"Don't call us liars, Kim," Kitty said, sighing. "And we were just falling asleep. Slowly, that's all."

"I fall asleep slowly too," she said, looking up at Lance. "Guess what?"

"What?" He asked, smiling back down at her.

"I farted."

"Kim!" Kitty groaned. "Look what you did, Lance. You made her you."

He shrugged, closing his eyes. "So what? I'm an awesome person to be."

Kim leaned up and kissed Lance's nose. "Night, Lance."

He smiled. "What was that kiss for? You turn me into a bear or something?"

Kitty frowned. "What?"

"You know, Kit, that fairy tale. With the princess that kisses the bear and turns him into a prince?"

"First off, if you were comparing that, it would have been the other way around. Secondly, that was, like, a frog, Lance."

"No, I don't think so," he said, though he realized he was wrong. "I think it was a bear, right Kim?"

She giggled, knowing too that her mother was correct. "Right, Lance."

Not liking to be left out, Kitty said, "Kim, either go to bed, or get out."

"Lance no make me leave, huh?" She looked at him.

"Of course not," he agreed.

"Lance," Kitty warned.

"Or I might."

"Really?" Kim looked so upset, he just couldn't stand it.

"Well, I'd leave with you, you know," he said. "Then it would just be old bitchy in here all alone."

"Lance!" Kitty his him in the arm. "How dare you curse in front of her!"

He shrunk back as much as he could on the tiny bed. Though it had been over a year that he had been taking care of Kim, he still had trouble with his word choices. It was hard to go from a carefree, loose lipped man to being a stepfather.

"Sorry, Kitty. It was a joke."

"No funny," Kimmy told him. "Bad, Lance."

"I'm sorry," he said, leaning down to kiss her. Then he kissed his girlfriend. "I was just kidding."

Kitty was ready to forgive him, but Kim wasn't. She hit him in the stomach. "No cuss."

"No hitting," Kitty told her.

"No, it's okay," Lance said, smiling at her. "I'm sorry, Kim. Can you let it go?"

"Think about it."

Sighing, Kitty said, "Let's go to sleep now, Kim, okay?"

"No," she said. "Lance and I are playing."

"No," Kitty said, pulling her daughter to her. "Sleep. Now."

"I'm scared of the monsters, though," Kim said. "See them when I sleep."

"It's okay," Lance said. "Remember what I told you?"

She nodded. "Lance?"

"What?"

"Do you ever have bad dreams?"

"No, of course not," he said.

"No afraid of nothing?"

"No," Lance said. "No way am I ever afraid of something."

"'Cause you gonna 'tect me and mommy?"

"Yep," Lance said, rolling to lay on his stomach.

"I 'tect myself, Lance," she said, offended.

"I know," he said, glancing at Kitty, smiling when he saw her smirk. "It's my job, taking care of you and stuff. I'm the guy."

"Weak guy," she concluded.

"Kim."

She giggled. "Night, Lance. I love you."

"Yeah, well, go to sleep, okay?"

It was silent for awhile and Lance was almost asleep when Kitty spoke. "Lance?"

"Hmmm?"

"You know, I'm better at protecting than you are."

"Hardly," he said, turning on his side. He moved down the bed until he was face with Kim.

"What are you doing?" Kitty asked, frowning.

"Making sure she's really asleep."

"How can you tell?" Kitty asked, puzzled.

"Whenever I do this, if she's awake, she can't help, but giggle," he said, moving back up the bed after giving her a kiss. "Yeah, she's asleep."

Kitty smiled, looking at the clock. "It's almost five now. You have to get up in ten minutes."

Lance groaned. "Damn-"

"Lance, that's exactly what I'm talking about," Kitty said, shaking her head. "You can't say things like that."

"I know. I'm trying, Kitty, you know I am."

"Yeah, but you need to shape up some," Kitty scolded.

"Kitty-"

"I'm tired, Lance," she said, cuddling her daughter to her. "Go get ready for work."

"Don't you work today too?"

"Yep," she said, nodding her head. "Not until three, though. Will you be home by then?"

"Yeah," he said, getting out of bed. It wasn't fair. How come they got to sleep? Dang Kim…he loved her anyways.


	4. Chapter 4

Names

Kim smiled, holding onto Lance's hand. "Look!"

She point toward two birds chasing each other. Lance glanced down at her. "It's just birds, Kim."

"Cool birds," she said, swinging their hands. "I wanna be a bird."

Lance shook his head, looking straight ahead again. He wanted to put his hands in his pockets, but he had to hold onto Kim or else she'd be upset.

"Hear me?" Kim asked when he didn't respond. "Lance?"

"Yep," he said, nodding his head a little. "I heard you."

She smiled. "We're best friends, huh?"

"Yeah," he agreed, only half listening.

They were walking through the park, just killing time. The end of the month was there and they couldn't pay the TV bill, so that was out. That also meant that Lance had no throw away money to take Kim to a movie, so this was their only real option.

"When I get a boyfriend, he's gonna be like you."

He just grunted. Kimberly frowned.

"Listen to me, Lance!"

"Don't yell at me, alright?"

He was not in a good mood. Kitty and him had gotten into a fight last night and an even bigger one that morning. His anger was on max level and it was all he could do to keep his tone from getting too sharp.

"No yell," Kim said, yanking her hand from his. She stopped walking, stomping her feet. "No!"

"Do not tell me what to do, Kimberly."

"Bad Lance," she rebuked. "Bad, bad, bad. Tell Mommy."

"Shut your mouth, alright?" He glared down at her. "Just shut up and come on."

Kim frowned, her eyes watering. "Lance no yell at Kim. Bad Lance. Bad."

He let out his breath slowly, not liking the fact that she now had people looking at them. Reaching down, he picked her up.

"Stop it, Kimberly. Right now."

"No!" She hit him in the head.

He closed his eyes tightly. "Kim, please, just stop, okay? I-I…I'm upset today, Kim. Please, don't fight me on this, okay? Let's just have a good day."

She leaned against him, her tears fading. "Sorry."

He smiled a little. "It's alright, Kim."

They walked for a little bit before he sat her down again.

"I'm hungry," Kim told him, holding his hand again.

"Yeah, me too."

She giggled. "Gonna eat?"

"Later," he said. He had a dollar in his pocket and planned to buy her a candy bar or something. "Think you can last?"

"Can you?"

"Of course."

"Okay then," she said, smiling brightly at him. "Lance, Lance, Lance. Who named you Lance?"

"Who named you Kimmy?"

"My mommy."

"Same."

"My mommy?"

"No, silly," he said, shaking his head. He had a bad headache. "Kim, you want to head back home? I'll get you something to eat on the way."

"Okay," she said, smiling at him. "Lance. Lance Al'ers."

"Alvers," he corrected.

"Lance Al'ers and Kim Pryde."

He glanced down at her. "That's your mom's last name."

"Yeah."

"Why don't you have your…never mind," he said, shaking his head.

"Are you my daddy?" She asked, looking up at him.

"What? No, Kim. You know that."

She giggled. "How come I can't be Kim Al'ers?"

"For one, it's Alvers, Kim, and I'm not your dad, that's why."

"Please?"

"It's not something that I choose, alright? It's just something that is."

"No."

"Kim-"

"My names Kimmy Al'ers."

"Fine, whatever," he said, done with the whole thing. "Just be quiet."

"Gonna tell everyone my new name," she said, skipping along beside him. "Kim Al'ers."

"Alvers," he mumbled, not believing that she cared so much about her last name. "Why does it matter, Kimmy?"

"I wanna be like you," she said. "Not mommy."

"Why not?"

"You're better."

Taking a little pride in that, Lance pulled out his pack of cigarettes. "Oh yeah?"

"Yep!"

He let go of her hand for a moment to pull cigarette out and light it up. After he did that, she took his hand again, frowning up at him.

"Mommy says no smoke."

"Mommy ain't here, now is she?" His noted the edge returning to his voice, and took a deep breath. "Just let me smoke one, okay Kim? Kitty don't have to know, does she?"

"No," she said as she started to skip again. "If you buy me a balloon."

He sighed, looking at the clown she was pointing too. He had a stupid cart and was giving some other kid a balloon. It was only natural that Kim would want one too. It was also only natural that he'd only have one dollar in his pocket.

"Kim, I don't have the money to buy you a balloon," he said, feeling slightly bad. It wasn't her fault that her parents weren't millionaires. He had been there before, minus the parent part. It made him a little angry that he didn't have money to give her whatever she wanted, but he was able to keep his powers in check.

"Yes!" She let go of his hand, about to go into tantrum mode again. "Yes, Lance."

"Kim, it's either something to eat or a balloon and I am not letting you go without eating something."

"No fair!" She glowered at him. "Get me a balloon or I won't be Kim Al'ers no more."

Lance started walking again.

"Me?" Kim stared after him, afraid that he was going to just forget about her. "Lance!"

"Come on, Kim," he called over his shoulder. "I'm getting you a balloon."

Curious, Kim followed him down the path towards the clown.

"Alright, I have no money," Lance said before the clown could speak. "Just give me the balloon and I swear, I'll come back with money t-"

"No can do, sir," the clown said, shaking his painted face. "Now, you can have a balloon for two dollars."

Two dollars for a balloon? Lance frowned. "Kim, come on, then. I don't have enough-"

"You got cigarettes," she accused. "Balloon's are my cigarettes."

The clown looked at the girl before looking at her mother's boyfriend. "Cigarettes?"

Lance nodded, not able to speak without cursing, so he just kept his mouth shut. Kim was stomping her feet.

"Give me the rest of your pack and I'll let you have one balloon."

"What? No," Lance said. "These cigarettes cost more than two dollars. Hell no."

"Lance!" Kim was very upset with him. "Please? Please, Lance? You gotta do it. Now! Lance?"

He took a deep breath, sucking in the smoke of his current cigarette before slowly letting out the smoke through his nostrils. "Fine, you can have the fucking pack."

Kim started clapping her hands, bouncing up and down. "Red, Lance. I want red."

"Here you go," the clown said, giving her the red balloon after taking the pack of smokes from Lance. "Thank you, have a great-"

"Go fuck yourself," Lance said, walking away. Kim ran after him, taking his hand when she reached him, her balloon in her right hand.

"Mad?" Kimmy asked, feeling the ground shake a little. Lance took a deep breath, forcing his powers to stop.

"No, Kim," he said through gritted teeth. God, his cigarettes for her? He shook his head, not believing what he had done. What do you do with a balloon anyways? Nothing.

"One more cigarette," she said, staring up at him. "Almost gone."

"Yeah," he said, blowing smoke. "Come on, let's go get your candy bar."

She smiled, following behind him as he led her out of the park, her eyes trained on the bright, shiny, wonderful, red balloon. Man, she loved that balloon…today anyways. Tomorrow her favorite color might not be red, maybe a pretty blue. Today though, the balloon was king and Lance Al'ers was prince. It was fantastic.

* * *

><p>The first thing Kitty saw when she walked up the stairs to her floor was an older woman standing outside her door, banging on it.<p>

"Mrs. Dubers," Kitty called out, rushing to her side. She immediately heard the problem the old woman had, but she still asked. "What's wrong?"

"You dang deadbeat is blasting his music again," she said, stopping her banging for a moment before resuming it. "Turn that down!"

"Here, Mrs. Dubers," Kitty said, gently pushing the older woman out of the way. "I'll take care of it. I am so sorry."

"Sorry my butt," the older lady went on. "Ever since you moved in, all I ever hear is that noise. I can't stand it!"

Kitty unlocked the door and went in, bidding goodbye to Mrs. Dubers. When she walked into the living room, she saw Kim standing in the middle of the room, dancing to the music, a balloon in his hand. Lance passed out on the couch, an arm thrown over his eyes.

"God, Lance," she said, going to turn off the stereo. "Did you not hear that knocking? Maybe it's because you had this music up so loud."

Lance groaned. "Don't start with me."

"Don't start with you? Lance I haven't even finished with you from this morning. Can you not, like, be such a jerk all the time?"

He didn't move in the slightest, except for his lips. "Kitty, I have a headache, alright?"

"And you smell like smoke. Were you smoking today?"

"No."

"Lance."

He frowned. "So what if I was, Kitty? Why does it matter?"

"For one, I told you not to smoke around Kim," she said, gesturing to her daughter, who was now sitting on the floor, waiting for Kitty to turn back on the music. "And two, Lance we're broke. Cigarettes cost money."

"Well, I'm out now, alright?"

She put her hands on her hips. "What? You smoked them all?"

"No," he said, shaking his head. "I sort of traded them."

"For what?"

"Why does it-"

"For what?" She repeated.

"A balloon."

She stopped for a second. "That balloon? Kim's balloon?"

"Yes."

"Lance-"

"She was upset, Kitty! Besides, look, she's so happy," he said, finally sitting up. "Come, Kat, you should be happy too."

"It's hard when we can't even pay our television bill."

"Screw that, Kitty! Who needs TV? We don't."

"Lance-"

"Mommy, wanna know my new name?" Kim interrupted, no longer able to sit still.

"No," Kitty said. "Go get in bed. I'll be there soon."

"Mommy-"

"Now."

Crying, she ran out of the room with her balloon and Corn. Lance frowned. "Did you really have to do that?"

Kitty shook her head at him before walking away. "I have to go put Kim to bed. Do whatever you want, but leave me alone."

"Kitty-"

"I said leave me alone!"

When Kitty came out of her daughter's room almost an hour later, Lance was sitting at the kitchen table, staring blankly at it. Kitty had demanded the table when she saw it at a garage sell. True, they really didn't have room for it, and hadn't had the money for it at the time, but Lance got it for her anyways. He'd always try and get her what she wanted.

"Hey," she whispered, walking over to him. "Lance? Earth to L-"

"I heard you, Kitty," he said, not grumpily, but definitely with some dark undertones.

"Well, I just wanted to be sure," she said, going over to the fridge. "I was afraid your hearing finally went, along with your brain."

He ignored her, but watched silently as she opened the fridge. It was bare, really, except for a few cokes and some bologna. Cringing as she loudly sighed, Lance stared at her as she closed it slowly, leaving her hand on the handle a little too long.

"Baby, I get paid next week," Lance said, suddenly feel bad for her. "I'll go shopping first thing."

"Shush, Lance," she said, reaching up and grabbing the box of cereal on top of the fridge. It was almost empty and she wanted Kim to have something to eat in the morning, so she sat it back down.

"Kitty, I'm serious," he said. "Here, you want me to make you something?"

"Make me what, Lance? There's nothing there to eat," she said. Lance rolled his eyes.

"I ate fried bologna."

"So?"

"So did Kim. You could eat it too, if you weren't so stuck up."

She scoffed at him, not being able to comprehend the fact that he had just said that to her. "Me? Stuck up? Because I don't want to eat freaking bologna for freaking dinner? Like, whatever, Lance."

He shook his head. "What do you want me to do, Kitty?"

"Learn to spend your money better."

"Me? It's only me?" It was his turn to shake his head. "We're a couple, Kitty. We share our money."

"Yeah, well maybe that's a mistake."

Lance looked back down on the table. Why was she mad at him? God, he didn't even care at this point, he just wanted her to shut up. It wasn't fair. He tried hard, he really did. Did he not take care of them? He had given up his damn cigarettes for Kim, that was caring, wasn't it?

"Lance? Are you okay?" She asked after a few moments of silence. He was just staring at the table, looking like he wanted to bring the whole building down.

"Fine," he said. "Just fine."

She sighed. "I was talking to my mother the other day on the phone and she offered to loan us some-"

"I've told you before, Kitty, no."

"Lance-"

"I'm not taking handouts from your parents, alright? God, do you really think that I would?" He looked at her with a mix of anger and disgust. "I don't need your parents' money. We're living just fine on candy bars, cokes, and bologna. Why can you just be happy?"

"Who said that I'm not happy, Lance?"

"You, multiple times."

"I'm just not pleased with the situation," she said, shrugging a little, as if that would just make it all better. "Are you mad at me?"

He shrugged too, only his was because opening his mouth would probably get him kicked out of the house. Slowly, Kitty walked over to him and sat down in his lap, wrapping one arm around his neck.

"I love you, Lance."

"Stop, alright?"

She started kissing his neck. "Kimmy told me something interesting."

When she got no response, she just continued.

"She told me that her new name is Kimmy Alvers."

His anger faded, if just a little. "Yeah, we talked."

She cuddled against him, glad that he was talking to her again. "She said that she didn't even ask you about seeing her dad today, because she didn't want to make you mad."

His fists unclenched. "Did she?"

"Yep," Kitty informed, giving him a kiss on the nose. "So are we alright?"

"I don't know, are we?"

Kitty sighed, relaxing her grip on him slightly. "I don't know, Lance. I just…don't you want to have money at the end of the day? Huh?"

"Yes, I would love that, Kitty, but it's just not what's going on right now. Is that so bad, Kitten? Kim's happy. I'm happy, for the most part. Are you not happy?"

"What is up with you and that word recently?"

"Nothing, I just want-"

"Lance, shut up," she said before kissing him.

He pulled back first. "Kitty, come one. Be serious. We can be serious, right? Without fighting I mean?"

She laid her head on his shoulder. "Let's just forget it for the night, alright?"

He ran a hand down her leg. "Kim said that her last name was Pryde."

"You've known me how long and you didn't know my last name?"

"No, I mean, I knew your last name," he said. "I just figured she'd have…his last name."

"He didn't want her to," Kitty said, getting out of his lap. Lance wasn't done with the conversation yet.

"Wait," he said, still sitting. "You guys had a baby together, and he stayed around for two years, but she kept your last name? That didn't give you off any hints?"

"Shut up, Lance," she said, walking towards the bedroom. Her stomach growled. "And Lance?"

"Hmmm?"

"…Can you fry me some bologna?"

"Sure, Kitty."


End file.
